


Changes

by Flight815Down



Series: Battered Hulls and Broken Hardships [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Golden Compass (2007)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Daemons, Drabble, Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-15
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2017-12-29 11:35:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1004958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flight815Down/pseuds/Flight815Down
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Twenty percent of his body is covered in scar tissue, second degree burns on his back and arms, x-rays show at least twelve fractures that never properly healed. And then there's his daemon."</p><p>Because there's not enough daemons in this fandom. Scenes from the Pilot</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Twenty percent of his body is covered in scar tissue, second degree burns on his back and arms, x-rays show at least twelve fractures that never properly healed. And then there's his daemon."

His back was to her and she longed to push the door aside. Her boy, her beautiful baby boy was back and... And Athru wasn't there.

"What-"

The doctor looked down at his chart, gathering his words together. "It's rare. You have to understand, we don't know much about it. There have only been a dozen or so cases reported. Ever. We just don't know how it happened."

Movement in the room drew both of their eyes back over. She walked out of the shadows cast by the hospital bed. The bright red fur that she had always had was replaced by grey. She was massive, in comparison, twice as big as she used to be. She strolled around to the window, just sparing a look at Oliver before she pushed her enormous paws against the window and stared out at the city just as her person did.

Moira's voice was almost a whisper. "Has he said anything about what happened?" 

"No. He's barely said anything." Maybe it's better that way. Does she really want to know what made that happen? "Moira, I'd like you to prepare yourself. The Oliver you lost might not be the one they found."

There was no ignoring that.

She pushed the door in front of her open, Elatus as close behind as he could be. Her heart thudded in her chest. She was in the same room as him, the same room as that little boy with the brightest smile. He was alive and he was home again and she was so happy for that, of course she was, but it wasn't him, not really She could see it, in the set of his shoulders, in the he stood, in the wolf beside him.

Oliver didn't react to the door opening. The wolf - Athru, she reminded herself, it's still Athru - dropped her front paws from the window, turning around to look at them. Elatus leaned against her leg, trembling just slightly as he looked up at the two they had thought had been dead for so long, had cried and screamed over. 

"Oliver?" Her voice quivered again.

And then, he turned around and it was just him again. The boy who used to chase after his little sister and wreak havoc at company parties and cuddle up beside her when he was sick. She didn't care about what had changed, what Athru looked like. He was there and he was alive, oh god, he was alive.

"Mom," he said.

Elatus walked over to Athru, as Moira did the same. The wolf dropped down to the ground, letting him take a good look at her. He sniffed at her softly, never losing eye contact, until he suddenly moved forward. He pressed his face up against hers, white fur mixing with grey. Athru flinched back as he touched her, an almost unnoticeable reflex that everyone in the room did their best to ignore. She came back to herself quickly, pushing her nose into his fur as he moved closer. She breathed in deeply.

And Oliver was in her arms again. "My beautiful boy," she said and to hell with five years gone and to hell with the company and to hell with Malcolm Merlyn and his stupid quest for justice, at least for tonight.

Her son was back with her and that's all that she cared about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit. What am I doing? I've never posted a fic before and it is way to late at night to be doing this now.
> 
> Athru: http://goo.gl/TclPNS  
> Elatus: http://goo.gl/t43Yg2


	2. Chapter 2

"Your room is exactly as you left it. I never had the heart to change a thing." Everything had changed, though. Of course, it had. No matter how much she pretended that it never happened, he spent five years on that island.

The house looked the same as it had before, but there was something so wrong about it. The pretentious lamps hadn't changed, the old smell hadn't changed, the dent in the wood panelling was still there from his and Tommy's office chair races. But the house felt wrong. Maybe it was just him.

Athru looked up at him, her amber eyes sparkling. She shrugged slightly. She never actually talked to him anymore. Or touched him. Any real form of affection between the two of them ended when that bullet hit his father's brain and Pere went up in a puff of smoke.

"Oliver!"

No, he was fine. This was what had changed.

"It's Walter," the man said.

Oliver knew who he was. Walter had been a major part of his life for as long as he could remember. Walter, who always made sure there were sodas in his father's office for him. Walter, who came over for family dinner. Walter, who gave him a speech about being a better man after his second arrest. Walter, who was standing in his home, with his mother.

Moira came up next to him. "You remember Walter, your father's friend from the company." Maybe not just his father's friend.

Tenace fluttered up from where she had been perched on Walter's shoulder when Oliver shrugged his way past them. He couldn't really care less. There were other people that he wanted to see. People who had always cared about him. People who weren't sleeping with his mother. "It's good to see you, Raisa."

She was standing off to the side, her collie's feet dancing across the floor. His head went up to brush against Athru's as soon as he spoke. It wasn't often that Athru's new state didn't put people off. She reminded people that the last five years couldn't be ignored. "Welcome home, Mr. Oliver," she said, holding onto both of his hands. She turned to Moira when she spoke again. "Mr. Merlin phoned; he wants to join you for dinner."  
Tommy, finally.

Tommy was the biggest source of comfort in his old life. He had always been there for him, never judged him. Tommy had been his brother since he was three years old. The time that he spent on the island was so dark, so depressing, that he would have killed just to hear one of his jokes again.

You did, that nagging voice in the back of his head said.

"Wonderful," his mother said. When he turned to look at her, movement on the second floor caught his eye and Athru's tail started to move, to wag just slightly.  
Oliver walked over to the stairs as she moved out of her room. And there she was. His baby sister was standing in front of him, no matter how old she had gotten. Thea was there and she was staring down at him.

"Hey, sis." He tried to make sure that his voice was more than a whisper but the little girl who hugged him and asked him not to go on that boat trip was in front of him and he was doing all that he could to breath, let alone speak properly.

Thea smiled down at him and Athru's tail started moving faster. "I knew it," she said. "I knew you were alive." Acutus rushed down the stairs after her and - oh god.

He had settled. Oliver shook his head. Of course, he had settled. Thea wasn't a kid anymore. But he hadn't just settled. A little red fox bounded down the stairs after her, trying to keep from tripping down the steep steps. He had settled as a red fox. Just like Athru had been before.

Thea's arms were around him as soon as she hit the bottom step. "I missed you so much," she said. And he knew, could tell from the fox that had come to a tumbled halt when he saw Athru towering over him.

"You were with me the whole time," he said, ignoring the nervous step forward Acutus took when the wolf crouched down to get closer to his level. His sister gripped onto him tighter and, at least for that moment, he was content in pretending that nothing had changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pere: http://goo.gl/uDirVJ  
> Tenace: http://goo.gl/tpQVDm  
> Acutus: http://goo.gl/Hb6Zxy  
> 


	3. Chapter 3

She was walking up the stair with Walter, ready to go to bed after a long day. He smiled at her when she caught his eye and Tenace fluttered down to Elatus's back. The goldfinch nestled into his thick fur as Walter put his arm around her. Rain poured down outside, but the house was warm and comforting. She smiled and, for a moment, everything seemed right.

"I'm sorry," she said, "about the way he's been acting."

He shook his head. "It's fine, darling. Oliver has every right to be upset."

"I know. I just wish that - "

"It will get better later. For now, let's get a little bit of shut eye, hm?"

"I - " She glanced back at the doorway leading to his room. Her little boy had been gone for so long, stuck on that goddamn island. Having him back seemed like something out of a movie, a miracle that couldn't befall someone as awful as her. She just wanted to make sure that he was okay, that he was still there, that all of this hadn't been another dream. "I'm just going to check on him."

There was a blast of cold air when she went through his door. The big bay window, the one they used to look through when storms passed through, was open, letting the heavy rain pour through. The curtains were thrashing against the frames. His bed was empty, the lights were off, and Moira could feel her stomach fall at what she knew she would find. Elatus shuddered, pressed tight against her leg. His ears were flat against his head. 

Oliver was lying on the floor, asleep. He was shivering and drenched with rainwater. Athru was coiled up in a ball on the nearby chair. Her tail was round tight around her, brow furrowed, ears in motion, and legs twitching. It took Moira a moment to hear her quiet whimpers, but suddenly, they were all that she could focus on.

"Oliver," she said, dropping to her knees next to him. She reached out, grabbing onto his shoulder. "Oliver, wake up."

And then, she was on the ground, her breath cut off. Oliver was crouched over her and Athru's lip was pulled back, letting out a horrible growl.

Walter was there in a heartbeat and Oliver's eyes were clear again, fully awake. He jumped away from her. He pressed his back against the bench seat and curled in on himself. "I'm sorry. I'm so - I'm so sorry."

Moira could feel Walter lifting her back up onto her feet, but she couldn't take her eyes off her son. He wasn't looking at her, wouldn't look at her, and she could feel her heart break. "No, it's okay, Oliver. It's alright, sweetheart. You're home." She wanted more than anything to believe what her husband had said, that everything would get better. But as she watched her son shiver on the ground, she knew that it wouldn't. There was no getting better.

Athru had run off after Walter came into the room. Her son was crouching in front of her, completely and utterly alone.


	4. Chapter 4

Acutus's tail wagged from side to side as Margo passed the bottle to her. Thea rolled it in her hands, reading the label as the pills slid back and forth. "Where did you get these?" Margo's mom had cracked down on her a few months ago, locks on the medicine cabinets, the whole nine yards.

"Roxie's," Margo grinned. "Thank you, daddy's ACL tear." Thea grinned back at her.

She felt a pull at her pant leg. "Thea." Acutus stood stiffly, ears and nose twitching. "Someone's coming."

She quickly slipped the bottle into the desk of her drawer, as a knock rang out from the door. No one would care enough to look there. No one had cared enough to search through her room since Walter had first moved in. Tenace had buzzed back and forth over their heads as he went through each of her drawers, under her bed, her closet. "I just want you to be safe," he said, over and over again. Thea had stood, her back flat against the door with her eyes pressed shut, remembering a time when her father had done the same thing in her brother's room. Her mother had stayed in her own bedroom.

"Ollie!"

He shook his head as he walked towards her. "No one's called me that in a while, Speedy."

Fuck.

Shit.

She had missed a lot of things when he was stuck on that island, god knows she had, but that idiotic nickname was not one of them. "Worst nickname ever."

He grinned, just a small one. The old Oliver used to have the easiest smile, proving he was happy at the slightest provoking. This one, with Athru standing alert at the door, was almost stoic, cold. She'd take any kind of smile he would give.

"What, always chasing after you as a kid? I thought it fit pretty well." He took a step closer, face straightening. "Maybe it still does."

Thea heard the snort behind her. "See you at school, Speedy." Margo's meerkat jumped off of the desk, running ahead of his person. He stopped short when he got to the door seeing Athru standing in front of it, in his only way out. His eyes darted around the room while hers never left the smaller daemon. Slowly, she stepped just out of the way. He took his chance, sprinting past, fur brushing against the doorframe he kept close to. Margo followed after him with one suspicious glance back at the wolf.

What the hell had happened to her brother?

"Sorry about her."

He shrugged it off. "I have something for you." Ollie pulled out some kind of stone arrowhead. It was light gray, rough around the edges, and was covered on two sides by dark lettering.

  
"You did not come back from a deserted island with a souvenir."

He smirked down at her. "It's a hosen," he said, "and in Buddhism, it symbolizes reconnecting. I kept it in hopes that, one day, it would reconnect me with you." He smiled again as he passed it over to her. She pulled it in close to her.

A flicker of movement caught her eye in the doorway. Next to her, Acutus's tail started to wag, hitting against her desk, creating the same noise that she could hear coming from Athru's direction. Amico raced over to her, climbing up onto her back quickly.

"A rock," Tommy said, as he came in. "That is sweet." Ollie's eyes never left her as his friend walked towards them, Athru following behind him. "I want one of those t-shirts that says 'my friend was a castaway and all I got was this crappy shirt'." He laughed at his own joke.

Thea shook her head. "Don't let him get you into too much trouble; you just got back." He nodded, pulling her in for a hug. His wolf gave Acutus a quick lick on the head. Ollie's arms were tight around her and it felt so good to have someone who cared, someone who made her feel safe and loved, around. So, she held on for as long as she could, before he finally slipped out of her arms.

God, she thought, as he walked towards the door, it's good to have him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amico: http://goo.gl/pGOFZC


	5. Chapter 5

Honestly, Salus was much more intimidating when he was twice Athru's size and able to rip her throat out in a single lunge. Tommy could remember awkward nights at the Lance home, waiting for Laurel to be ready, the wolverine stalking behind the couch. Amico would clutch onto the back of his neck and Athru would press close to Ollie's leg. Now, even her dagger-sharp teeth and strong body pale in comparison to the wolf's pure power. 

That didn't mean that this conversation was at all less uncomfortable. 

Salus was standing at Lance's feet, brown fur raised high and lips drawn back. Her eyes never left Oliver and a low growl could be heard whenever there was a lull in the conversation. Athru's eyes never drifted to her, sitting. She was conscious of every movement in the room, but she never spared a glance at her or Lance.

"So, that's your story. A guy in a green hood flew in and single-handily took out three armed kidnappers." He laughed. "I mean, who is he? Why would he do that?"

Why would he save you?

"I don't know." Ollie stared right back at Lance, not backing down. "Find him and you can ask."

"Yeah." He turned to look at Tommy and it was like being back in that house, a 19-year-old who just wanted to get away from the scary cop and whip out his fake ID. "What about you? You see the hood guy?"

"I saw-" My best friend taking out guys with machine guns, Athru's teeth in their daemon's necks, and dust. It was ridiculous, Tommy knew that, the fucked up dreams of a concussed mind. Ollie was his brother, not some murderous ninja. He was a good guy, a good friend, a good son. Maybe a little PTSD-y but it's not like he didn't have the right to that. "Just movement, you know. Everything blurry. I was kind of out of it."

"Yeah." Lance could always see through the two of them. "It's funny, isn't it? One day back and already somebody's gunning for you. Aren't you popular."

Elatus straightened up from where he was sniffing at Athru and Tenace ruffled her wings on Walter's shoulder. Moira jumped into the conversation. "Were you able to identify the men?"

Lance looked down, silenced. Say what you will about Moira Queen, but she always protected her children.

His partner spoke up from where he was standing near Raisa. "Scrubbed identities, untraceable weapons. These were pros."

"Probably figured you'd pay a king's ransom to get your boy back. Or a queen's, as it were." The room fell quiet again, the only sounds Lance's soft chuckling and Salus's rumbling growl. "After all," his eyes fell on Oliver, "a parent would do anything to keep their child safe."

Athru flinched like she had been struck, head dropping down lower. Elatus let out a noise somewhere between a bark and a yelp, just as Amico twisted around Tommy's neck, moving to the side closer to Ollie. "I really hate this guy," she whispered in his ear, fingers making fists around his shirt. As anger pooled in his stomach, Tommy couldn't help but nod in agreement. As if this was all Ollie's fault. As if Sarah didn't decide to get on that boat. 

"I don't find your tone appropriate, detective." Her voice was cold, the words short. Elatus had moved to stand between Athru and Salus. His white fur was puffed up, but he still looked small and delicate between the two predators. Tommy had never loved Moira as much as he did in that moment.

Walter stood, calm and collected and completely in control of the conversation. Tenace puffed out her chest and glared. "If Oliver can think of anything else, we'll be in touch. Thank you, gentlemen, for coming." 

Lance stood, apparently aware that he wasn't welcome anymore. Ollie stayed seated for just a moment longer, eyes forward and unfocused, before he pulled himself together and off of the couch. Salus flashed his long teeth again, as the older man spoke. "Your luck never seems to run out, does it?"

Athru's ears flattened and her shoulders slumped as the detectives walked out of the room. Ollie watched them go. His jaw was clenched. His eyes had a broken look to them, one that Tommy had seen too often since he had gotten back from that island.

Amico whispered in his ear again and he had to agree with her. "I really, really fucking hate that guy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Salus: http://goo.gl/hRBYJH


	6. Chapter 6

"This is humiliating."

"It's not that bad."

"Are you kidding me? We were Special Forces."

"I know. I was there."

"We used to save lives."

"I know."

"And now you're a goddamn babysitter."

Diggle sighed before giving her a long look. Forza was practically bristling beside him. She kneaded her paws on the ground, muscles in her shoulders climbing and falling, before she looked up at him. "You've got to at least keep your voice down." Walter Steele and Moira Queen were standing nearby, patiently waiting for their son. "We need this job."

She snorted softly. "We are not that desperate for money." That was a blatant lie. "I can't believe we're going to be stuck following after this little prick."

"Forza!"

"Oh, come on," she grinned up at him. "It's not like you weren't thinking the same thing." She leaned into him, pushing his knee with her shoulder. "I bet he's got some ditzy little daemon. Maybe a fox like his mom. With dainty paws." She picked up one of her own massive ones, letting it flop uselessly back and forth. When he didn't respond, she pushed into him again. Diggle cracked, a hint of a smile breaking through, and her tail started to kick up the dust behind her.

When Oliver Queen walked out of the entryway, however, it was a wolf following behind him.

"Oliver, I want to introduce you to someone." He stepped forward, as Moira introduced him. Forza slid behind him, staying close to the back of his legs. "John Diggle. He'll be accompanying you from now on."

"I don't need a babysitter."

Diggle's smirk returned. While the family argued, he turned his head, so he could whisper to Forza - decorum may have kept the Queens from listening in on their conversation, but it wouldn't keep them from simply over hearing it. "At least we can agree on that."

  
Forza didn't respond. Her shoulders and head were sagged low, tail curled tightly under her.

"You okay?" She whimpered quietly. Her eyes darted away from their fixed stare at the ground. He followed her gaze. She whimpered again when her eyes made contact with the wolf standing apart from the Queens. The wolf was standing at attention, golden eyes piercing.

"I don't think this is a good idea."

Before he could respond, the Queens interrupted. The youngest, having lost the battle, got into the backseat of the car. The wolf followed him. After shaking his new bosses' hands, Diggle approached the car himself. "Try it, Forza. Just for a day." He opened the passenger door and, with a sigh, she jumped in.

The car ride was silent until they were well into the city. Forza stayed pressed against the door and Queen and his daemon kept far from each other in the back.

"So, what do I call you?" Queen lazed about in his seat, slumped down.

"Diggle's good. Dig, if you want."

He nodded. "You're ex-military."

"Yes, sir. 105th airborne of Kandahar, retired. Been in the private sector a little more than 4 years now." It was probably best to get this out of the way early, letting the pampered socialite know that he wasn't going to let him walk all over him. "I don’t want there to be any confusion, Mr. Queen. My ability to keep you from harm will outweigh your comfort. Do we have an agreement?"

The only response was the slamming of a car door.

Diggle stomped on the breaks. He jumped out, pulling open the back. Forza had her front paws on the center console, nose twitching as she quickly looked around the backseat. Her eyes landed on his before she collapsed back into her seat.

"Yeah, this is going to go great."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forza: http://goo.gl/5S0bw9


	7. Chapter 7

Everything was so much louder now that he'd gotten back. Even with the explosions and gunfire, the island never reached the same deafening quality that the club had. The stairs shook as he walked down them. 

"Has he transferred the money yet?" Athru walked beside him, stiff and uncomfortable. The feeling was mutual.

"Not yet," Oliver said, glancing down at his phone.

She perked up. "So, we're in for a fun night."

"No. We've talked about this. You've got to stay here."

Her response was cut short when the music stopped. Tommy ran up to him, Amico hanging loosely off his shoulder. He threw his other arm around Ollie before yelling out to the crowd. " Everybody, hey! Man-of-the-hour!" The monkey chirped happily as the crowd cheered, grin matching her person's. "And, ladies, please give this man a proper homecoming."

Tommy pulled him towards the stage. Oliver climbed up and did his best impersonation of his old self. He downed shots and shouted to the crowd, while Athru stared at him from the ground . Before the island, before everything happened, she used to stand up there with him. She used to parade back and forth, flaunting her bright fur, eyes glimmering in the lights, barking and yapping. As she stared up at him, fur gray and eyes empty, he thought about what he was doing and what he would be doing later that night, about how much had changed.

He thought about the same thing when he saw some asshole hand a plastic bag to his little sister.

"Now," Tommy said, drawing him back into the conversation. "By my rough estimate, you have not had sex in 1,839 days." He'd passed drunk several shots ago. Amico had abandoned his shoulder. She was sitting next to Athru, attempting to have a conversation with her, pulling on the wolf's ears when she wasn't paying enough attention. "As your wingman, I highly recommend Carmen Golden."

"Which one is she?"

"The one who looks like the chick from Twilight."

"What’s Twilight?"

"You’re so better off not knowing."

Thea had made it back to her friends. Her hurried nods and excited expression were a little too reminiscent of his own late nights before. "Back in a minute."

Athru made it over to them first. She wrapped around Acutus, using her body to herd him away from the others. Oliver pulled Thea after them. Her eyes were just a little too bright and her cheeks were flushed and, Jesus Christ, his little sister was drunk.

"Ollie, hey! This party is sick."

"Who let you in here?"

She grinned at him, actually grinned like he just wasn't in on the joke. " I believe it was somebody who said, 'Right this way, Miss Queen.'" Did she really think that he was going to be fine with this, with her here?

"Well, you shouldn’t be here."

She paused, looking down at Athru, fur bristled. "I'm not 12 anymore."

"No," he said. "You're 17."

"Ollie, I-I love you," she said, arms crossed and daemon puffed up, "but you can’t come back here and judge me, especially for being just like you."

As if this was supposed to be his fault. "I know that it couldn’t have been easy for you when I was-" trapped on an island, assumed to be dead, being tortured, killing people "-away."

"Away?" She laughed. Maybe he should have gone with one of the other ones. "No. You died. My brother and my father died. I went to your funerals."

"I know."

"No, you don’t. Mom had Walter, and I had no one. You died and Acutus -" She stopped, glancing away. "You guys all act like it’s cool, let’s forget about the last 5 years. Well, I can’t. For me, it’s kind of permanently in there, so I’m sorry if I turned out some major disappointment, but this—me, Acutus, is the best I could do with what I had to work with."

Athru stepped towards the little fox, ears down and tail tucked, but as Thea spun around and left, she followed after, racing past the wolf. They watched as the two were swallowed up by the club and its pulsating music.


	8. Chapter 8

She was never really going to get used to the wolf where Athru should have been. Rogo was always on edge around her, fur just slightly raised, when she used to be one of the few daemons he actually enjoyed being around.

“I’m sorry about saying that you should have been the one who died. That was wrong.” 

Oliver’s response was as calm as the disinterested daemon beside him. “If I could trade places with her, I would.”

That may have been the worst part about what she said. Even after everything that he put her through, Laurel knew that he was a good person at heart. He was still one of the oldest friends she had. And as angry as she was, it hurt to know everything that he had to have went through on that island, during the boat sinking. 

Rogo pushed his nose into her leg. “About Sara,” she started. They stopped walking. “There’s something that I’ve been afraid to ask, but I need to know.”

His jaw visibly clenched and the wolf beside him seemed to – somehow – stiffen up even more. “Ok.”

Laurel reached down, holding onto the soft fur on Rogo’s neck. “When she died, did she suffer?”

“No.” The response was immediate.

“I think about her every day.”

He nodded. “Me too.”

“I guess we still have one thing in common then.” Laurel could feel the muscles move in Rogo’s neck as he ducked his head, trying to make eye-contact with the wolf. But her golden eyes never stopped staring straight forward, away from the conversation. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but if you need someone to talk to about what happened to you, I’m here.”

For that one moment, it was almost like he was her Oliver again. For that moment, she could ignore the daemon by his side and pretend that he was himself. It was over quickly though, when his phone vibrated. “Something wrong?”

“I asked somebody to do something.” His wolf finally turned from her view out the window, looking at him as he spoke. “They didn’t do it.” Oliver looked at his daemon. When he turned back to her, it was like a switch had been flipped. “Laurel,” he started slowly. “You always saw the best in me. Right now, that’s what you’re doing, looking at me, and you’re wondering if that island changed me somehow, if it made me a better person. It didn’t. Stay away from me. Otherwise, I’m just going to hurt you again, but this time, it’ll be worse.”

Rogo growled by her side, a low rumbling noise from deep in his chest.

He stepped back, arms spread wide. “Gotta roll. I got 5 years of debauchery to catch up on.”

“You know what, Oliver? You’re wrong. That island did change you. At least now you’re honest.”

Five years was too long, she thought as she left him. There was no rekindling a friendship after that, not with all the baggage they were both carrying, not when only one of them was actually interested in their relationship. Rogo strode proudly beside her as she walked away from the wolf standing where her friend used to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rogo: http://goo.gl/0fKa7I


	9. Chapter 9

The music in the club was pounding, sending throbs of pain through his head. It seemed to echo around his skull, as the group of police officers made their way through the dancing crowds.

Lance turned back to his team, pushing past a cluster of girls. Salus growled by his side, dodging between legs. “Search the building roof to basement. Find him!” He raised his voice as he turned back to the crowds, “Starling City police! The party’s over, kids.”

Groans rang out throughout the club, as the music came to an abrupt halt.

“Oh, Mr. Merlyn.” The ass spun around, his little monkey clutching onto his shoulders. “Imagine my shock at finding you here. Did you roofie anyone special tonight, huh?” The two of them grinned at the detective. Salus bared her teeth.

“Detective!” Oliver Queen, the only thing that could make this evening worse. “It’s a private party.”

“Yeah? Well, there was an incident at Adam Hunt’s building tonight. You know anything about that?”

“Who’s Adam Hunt?” His wolf’s ears flickered.

“He’s a millionaire bottom feeder, and I’m kind of surprised you aren’t friends.”

“I’ve been out of town for,” he paused. “A while.”

His friend smirked and his daemon actually giggled. Lance had to force himself to hold Salus back.

“Yeah.” He tried to pull himself back together. “Well, he just got attacked by the guy with the hood, the guy that saved your ass the other day.”

“The hood guy,” he nodded. “You didn’t find him? I’m going to offer a reward.” He turned around, on full display to the crowd, through his daemon never stopped watching Lance. “Hey, everybody! $2 million to anybody that can find a nut bar in a green hood.”

He spun around, with that cocky grin on his face, while the crowds shouted around him and Lance just couldn’t hold back anymore. Not when this asshole was standing in front of him, partying, laughing while his daughter was stuck at the bottom of some ocean because of him.

“Did you even try to save her?” Hilton tried to pull him back, but something broke in Queen’s face and it just felt too good, watching him crumble. “Did you even try to save my daughter?”

“Come on,” Hilton cut in. “Sarah wouldn’t want this.” Lance tried to push forward again, moving back at Queen, but his partner pulled him back. “It’s all right. Let’s go.”

Queen stood there, jaw tensed, as Lance walked away. His wolf was slumped, ears drooped and tail tucked. Nothing had made him happier in a long time. Salus breathed out a little laugh beside him.

“It’s way too quiet in here!” He heard Queen yell as they left. “This is a party!”

* * *

“Some coincidence,” Tommy said, as Oliver hopped down from the table. “I mean, you asking to have your party here, and Hunt getting robbed right next door and by the same guy who rescued us at the warehouse.” Amico wrapped her tail around his neck.

Oliver’s eyes went dark in a way they never did before. “If I were you, Tommy,” he said, “I’d just be glad you’re alive.”

“What happened to you on that island?” Amico’s hands tightened on Tommy’s vest.

“A lot.” Oliver walked away. Athru paused before following.

Amico jumped down from his shoulder, running toward her oldest friend until Tommy felt the sharp pull of separation. She sat down on the sticky floor, crying miserably, as she lost them one more time.


	10. Epilogue

This wasn’t a good idea. But, then again, it was never meant to be. Things with Laurel were just getting too real; she kept talking about apartments, silverware, curtains, and it was too much. She wouldn’t stop pushing him and he just couldn’t take it anymore. And Sara was right there, hands lingering, leaning up against him. He couldn’t just walk away from her, not with how her little daemon looked curled up in Athru’s red fur.

So, no. It wasn’t a good idea. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t a fun one.

She was lying back against the headboard when he got back to the room, counting slowly. Praelia was hopping nervously on her shoulder. “It’s getting closer.”

“That’s not very scientific.”

She slid off the bed, coming closer to him as he popped the cork off another wine bottle. “And what would you know about science, Mr. Ivy League dropout?” She smiled at him, and god, he should have done this years ago.

“I happen to know a lot about science.” He poured each of them a glass. “I know about fermentation. I know biology.” He pulled her closer, kissing her. Praelia dropped from his perch on her shoulder, landing next to Athru on the bed.

She drew back, eyes still closed. “Laurel’s going to kill me.”

“Oh, she’s so going to kill us,” her daemon repeated from her place on the bed.

Athru chuckled. “Your sister will never know.”

Oliver wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer before tossing her onto the bed and crawling on top of her. She laughed, a light, happy sound that was cut off when thunder made the whole cabin shake. 

Her eyes widened and Prae flew up. He chipped loudly as he made small circles near the ceiling. Sara grabbed onto his shoulder. “Ok, that one was really close.”

Oliver grinned. Athru trotted over to the two, sharing his smile as she tucked herself under his arm. He could feel her tail beating against his chest. “Sara,” he said. “We’re going to be fine.” He leaned closer to her one more time and then the world turned to chaos.

He heard Sara scream as the ship flipped onto its side. He hit the opposite wall hard, breath rushing from his body. Athru turned around from where she had landed on his chest. She bit down on his shoulder and he held her close with his other arm, as he saw the water rushing into the room.

“Sara?”

For a single moment, he could see her. Her head was just barely above the surface, face scrunched in pain, arms stretched out, Prae nowhere to be seen. He could hear himself yelling her name as she was pulled under, felt Athru shaking as the water rose higher in the cabin.

* * *

Oliver kept yelling, even after he had made it out of the ship. He was treading water, trying to stay afloat while still holding onto Athru with one hand. Her claws scraped against him when he slipped under, dunking both of them. 

When he heard someone calling his name, he let himself hope it was her. 

Desperation and adrenaline are the only things that get him to the lifeboat. His dad and Gus drag him up into it. Pere leaned over the edge and grabbed onto Athru by the scruff of her neck. It wasn’t until he let go of her that Oliver realized that she had still been latched on to him. He felt blood ooze from where she had bitten into him.

His body lurched forward as he coughed up sea water. She was still out there. He had seen her. She was alive out there. “No,” he mumbled, turning back around to the wreck. His dad grabbed onto his arm, holding him in place. He didn’t understand. He had to go after her. “Dad, she’s out there!”

His dad pulled him closer to him. “She’s not there.”

He didn’t understand. He had to save. He had to. She was still out there, still in the water, and it was all his fault, he did this, he caused this, god, he should never have taken her along, never should have dragged her to this, it was all his fault – “Sara!”

“Oliver,” his dad said, as the rest of the boat sank in front of him. “She’s gone.”

* * *

He didn’t know how many days had passed. He drifted somewhere between awake and asleep. His head felt like it had been stuffed too full, his shoulder ached, his throat had turned to gravel, and his skin felt too tight for his body. Athru hadn’t stopped shaking since the crash. He was too hot, too thirsty, too hungry, and everything was just wrong and Sara – 

His dad’s voice cut through. “Here, son. Drink.” He poured the water into Oliver’s mouth. Somewhere, he could hear Gus protesting, but he just didn’t care anymore.  
“If anybody’s making it out of here, it’s going to be him.” He pulled him back towards him, tucking him under his arm, and in that moment, Oliver could believe that they were back in his dad’s study, on the couch by the fireplace. He was ten, sipping cocoa and giggling with his dad, and any minute now, Speedy would come rushing through the door, curling up with them and begging for a drink. “I’m so sorry,” his dad whispered above him. “I thought I’d have more time. I’m not the man you think I am. I didn’t build our city. I failed it. And I wasn’t the only one.”

Oliver could hear the words, knew what they meant, but he was too tired to comprehend them. He knew he was apologizing, but it didn’t even matter what for. Whatever it was, it didn’t mean anything, because his dad was warm and safe, because Pere hadn’t moved from where she was draped over Athru. He didn’t care what had happened; he was just glad he was there.

* * *

He was nearly asleep when his father spoke again. “There’s not enough for all of us.” He said it quietly, barely a murmur to himself. Pere let out a low whimper. He looked down, speaking louder. “Save your strength. You can survive this, make it home, make it better, right my wrongs, but you’ve got to live through this first. You hear me, Ollie? You hear me, son?”

He was just so tired. “Just rest, dad,” he said, eyes still shut.

The crack of the gun had him wide awake.

He jumped back in time to see Gus’s body fall over the edge. Athru tried to do the same, but Pere held her down. His dad’s eyes were wet when he looked at Oliver, hands trembling around the gun. Pere whimpered again and pressed her face into Athru’s thick fur, eyes tightly shut.

“Dad?”

“Survive,” he said, as he pressed the gun’s muzzle against his head. 

Pere turned to dust atop the little fox, coating her bright fur in gray. Oliver reached forward, pulling his father’s body to him, listened to himself beg and plead, but knew there was no point. His dad was dead and there was nothing he could do. He felt hollowed out, like someone had taken everything but pain and emptiness. As he sat there, holding his father’s body close to him, drifting as much as the lifeboat under him, Athru let out a pitiful and desperate sound, a very un-foxlike howl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Praelia: http://goo.gl/Zgocco 
> 
> I'm officially the worst. I meant to have this done ages ago, at very least by October. You guys have been fantastic for putting up with the world's worst fic schedule. In my defense, I think that if there was a competition for shittiest first semester of college, I would at least place.   
> I'm planning on writing some more of these, maybe making a little series of them. This is partly because I've already written some for episode 13 and partly because it would be unfair to leave both Roy and Felicity out.  
> Again, thank you all so much! It's really meant a lot to me!


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